Cristiano Ronaldo signs with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr club

The big picture: The signing also ends Ronaldo's month-long free agent status, which came after he parted ways with Manchester United in November following an outburst in which he criticized the team for trying to force him out last summer.

What they're saying: "History in the making," Al Nassr said while making the announcement on Twitter.

• "This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves."

Between the lines: Saudi Arabia is also considering a bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Zoom out: Controversy surrounding Ronaldo hovered over his Portugal team during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Axios' Herb Scribner reports.

• Ronaldo was benched during the knockout rounds of the tournament and the team was ultimately eliminated in a shocking upset against Morocco.

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